Shelton Republicans favor McMahon; Dems choose Murphy

Shelton Democrats and Republicans followed the rest of the state in Tuesday’s primary for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat, choosing Chris Murphy and Linda McMahon, according results from the Registrar of Voters office.

Chris Murphy received 567 votes and his opponent Susan Bysiewicz received 288 votes.

According to statewide results, Ms. McMahon, a Greenwich resident and the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, crushed former U.S. Rep. Christopher Shays, who had served the 4th congressional district from 1987 to 2008. According to the Associated Press, as of Tuesday night Ms. McMahon had a 73% to 27% lead over Mr. Shays with 94% of state precincts reporting.

Mr. Murphy’s margin of victory was only slightly less impressive as he easily bested former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz in their primary. Mr. Murphy, who has represented Connecticut’s fifth district since 2006 in the United State’s House of Representatives, had, according to the AP, a 67.5% to 32.5% with 92.5% of precincts reporting.

In her speech before the raucous crowd, Ms. McMahon unveiled the theme to her campaign, saying she would bring a message to Connecticut voters that “we will do better.” Calling Mr. Murphy “a career politician”, Ms. McMahon said his six years in Congress have resulted in nothing more than “more spending, more debt and more unemployment.”

“On November 6, Connecticut will have a choice that is clear, crystal clear,” Ms. McMahon said. “Chris Murphy is a professional politician. I am a small business jobs creator. He does not understand how jobs are created and has never created a job. I do. I have. We will. He puts his trust in government. I put my trust in you. He is a follower. I will lead.”

After his victory was confirmed, Mr. Murphy’s campaign issued a press release, saying that while Ms. McMahon, who has largely self-financed her campaign through her WWE fortune, would be able to outspend him on advertising, she would not outwork him.

“The coalition of regular, hard working middle class folks who made this resounding victory possible tonight will guarantee that Linda McMahon will not buy the election this fall,” Mr. Murphy said in a press release. “That’s the contrast in this election. Over the past ten years, I’ve spent every ounce of my being fighting for that out of work mom who’s got to get back to work, for that hungry kid who just wants three meals a day, for that homeless veteran who wants a roof over his head. And during that same time, Linda McMahon has spent every ounce of her being fighting for profits at the expense of her employees, at the expense of Connecticut jobs, and at the expense of common decency.”